Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02544546 2006-04-21
PROTECTIVE ELEMENT FOR SPORTS PADS AND THE LIKE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to protective elements,
more particularly to protective elements incorporated into
protective pads such as are used in contact sports.
BACKGROUND ART
Known protective pads such as, for example, hockey
goalie leg pads, knee pads, elbow pads, etc., usually
include a rigid layer to protect the wearer against impact
injury. Because of the rigid layer, the pads cannot
generally be adapted to conform to different body
configurations. Having a pad which does not properly fit a
wearer can potentially increase the risk of injury and/or
reduce the liberty of movement of the wearer. The rigid pads
are moreover usually relatively heavy, and as such can limit
the activities of the wearer.
In order to provide a better adaptation to a body
configuration of a particular wearer, it has been known to
provide pads formed of a plurality of pieces flexibly
connected together. However, such pads are relatively
complex to manufacture, with the links between the various
pieces causing an increased risk of failure of the pad. In
addition, the interaction between the various pieces of the
pad generally increases the risk that the pad can be worn in
an incorrect manner, which can give a false sense of
security to a wearer and as such increase the risk of
inj ury .
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SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is therefore an aim of the present invention to
provide an improved protective element, providing protection
against impact injury, which is relatively lightweight.
It is also an aim of the present invention to provide
an improved protective element, for protection against
impact injury, which can be adapted to different body
configurations.
Therefore, in accordance with the present invention,
there is provided an impact resistant insert for a
protective pad, the insert comprising a stiffener layer of
impact resistant, thermoformable material retaining a preset
curve at ambient temperature such as to substantially return
to the preset curve upon deformation, the stiffener layer
becoming temporarily more flexible under heat such that the
preset curve can be modified to a different preset curve
with the stiffener layer subsequently maintaining the
different preset curve at ambient temperature.
Also in accordance with the present invention, there is
provided an impact resistant insert for a protective pad,
the insert comprising a front layer of flexible material, a
stiffener layer of multi-cell material having front and rear
surfaces with the front surface being connected to the front
layer, the stiffener layer being substantially resistant to
impact forces, the stiffener layer retaining a preset curve
and substantially returning to the preset curve upon
deformation, and a rear layer of flexible material connected
to the rear surface of the stiffener layer.
Further in accordance with the present invention, there
is provided an ice-hockey goalie pad comprising a core
including at least a stiffener layer of impact resistant,
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thermoformable material retaining a preset curve at ambient
temperature such as to substantially return to the preset
curve upon deformation, the stiffener layer becoming
temporarily more flexible under heat such that the preset
curve can be modified to a different preset curve with the
stiffener layer subsequently maintaining the different
preset curve at ambient temperature, and an envelope
surrounding and containing the core.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
io Reference will now be made to the accompanying
drawings, showing by way of illustration a particular
embodiment of the present invention and in which:
Fig. 1 is a front view of a goalie pad including a
protective element according to a particular embodiment of
is the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a protective element
according to a particular embodiment of the present
invention; and
Fig. 3 is a perspective, exploded view of the
20 protective element of Fig. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to Fig. 1, an ice-hockey goalie leg pad
(herein after "goalie pad") is generally shown at 10. The
goalie pad 10 comprises an internal protective element or
25 insert 12 (see Fig. 2) contained within a pad envelope 14,
which can be for example made of leather with a plurality of
padded regions 16 included thereon.
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Referring to Fig. 2, the protective element 12
comprises a plurality of superposed and interconnected
layers, including a first layer 18, a second layer 24 and a
third layer 40, the second layer 24 being sandwiched between
the first and third layers 18,40.
Referring to Fig. 3, the first layer 18 forms the front
of the protective element 12. The first layer 18 is.flexible
and lightweight, and can be for example made of a foam
material such as low density expanded polyethylene (EPE)
foam. The first layer 18 includes two separate sections,
namely a foot section 20, sized to extend at least partially
over the top of the foot area of the wearer, and a longer
leg section 22, sized to extend from the instep of the foot
to at least above the knee of the wearer.
Again referring to Fig. 3, the second, stiffener layer
24 also includes a foot section 26 and a longer leg section
28. A front surface 30 of the second layer's foot section 26
is connected to the first layer's foot section 20, while a
front surface 32 of the second layer's leg section 28 is
connected to the first layers' leg section 22. The sections
26,28 of the stiffener layer 24 include a thermoformable
material which can be formed to a preset curve. In the
embodiment shown, only the leg section 28 is formed to a
preset curve by forming a bend 34, for example of
approximately 50 degrees, around the knee area of the
wearer. Although the leg section 28 is shown as having a
curve about a single axis, it is understood that compound
curves are also possible. Alternately, the foot section 26
could also be formed to a preset curve.
The thermoformable material of the second layer 24 is
rigid enough such as to be able to retain and preserve the
preset curve, and additionally acts to preserve the
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integrity and rigidity of the entire protective element 12.
The thermoformable material permits at least limited
flexibility, however provides a consistent return to its
preset curve upon deformation. The stiffener layer 24 also
helps the protective element 12 to stop and diffuse high
impacts forces. As the material of the rigid stiffener layer
24 is thermoformable, the preset curve can be varied and/or
subsequently reset by heating the thermoformable material
and bending the layer into a new desired curved
configuration, then cooling the layer to ambient temperature
to set the curve to the new configuration.
In a particular embodiment, the thermoformable material
is a multi-cell plastic material, defining abutting
hexagonal cells forming a honeycomb pattern. Alternately,
cells having a different cross-section can be used, for
example square, circular, etc. The multi-cell material can
be sandwiched between two sheets of light material, for
example Meslyn, defining the front surfaces 30,32 and rear
surfaces 36,38 of the stiffener layer sections 26,28. The
multi-cell material advantageously provides protection
against impact injury while being relatively lightweight and
strong, both in flexion and in compression.
The third layer 40 is flexible and lightweight,
similarly to the first layer 18, and can also be made for
example of a foam material such as low density EPE foam.
Still referring to Fig.3, the third layer 40 includes two
separate sections, namely a bottom section 42, sized to
extend over the foot area of the wearer and over a lower
portion of the leg, and a top section 44, sized to extend
over an upper portion of the leg, including the knee, and up
to the thigh of the wearer. The bottom section 42 is
connected to the rear surface 36 of the second layer's foot
section 26 and to part of the rear surface 38 of the second
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layer's leg section 28. The bottom section 42 thus
effectively interconnects the foot and leg sections 20,22;
26,28 of the first and second layers 18,24, defining a
flexible hinge 46 (see Fig. 2) therebetween. The top section
44 is connected to the remaining part of the rear surface 38
of the second layer's leg section 28.
Alternately, the two sections 26,28 of the second layer
24 can be hingedly connected by a single section of the
first layer 18, or be directly joined to one another
independently from the first and third layers 18,40, for
example by being integral to one another or by being joined
through a hinge-like joint.
Referring to Fig. 2, a fourth layer 48 of flexible
material can also be provided. Referring to Fig. 3, the
fourth layer 48 includes a small section connected to a rear
surface 50 of the third layer's bottom section 42. The
fourth layer 48 can be made for example of foam material
such as low density polyurethane foam.
Still referring to Fig. 3, edge pieces can also be
provided to define a rear profile for the protective element
12 suitable for receiving the wearer's leg. The edge pieces
include a small edge piece 52, which is connected to a rear
surface 54 of the fourth layer 48 along a first side edge 56
thereof, and a long edge piece 58, which is connected to the
rear surface 54 of the fourth layer 48 along a second side
edge 60 thereof and extends upwardly beyond the fourth layer
48 to be also connected to a rear surface 62 of the third
layer's top section 44.
In a particular embodiment, the layers are glue
laminated together to form the composite protective element
12.
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In an alternate embodiment, the layers are detachably
interconnected, for example through a plurality of
complementary strips of hook and loop type fasteners 64
provided on the abutting surfaces of the layers 18,24,40,48
and edge pieces 52,58. The protective element or core can
also be attached to the exterior envelope using similar
strips of hook and loop type fasteners 66, or alternately by
having a series of straps (not shown) extending from a rear
side of a front face of the envelope and passing through a
series of aligned slots 68 defined in the various layers to
be attached at the rear of the envelope, for example with
hook and loop type fasteners.
Although shown here as the core of a goalie pad, the
protective element can alternately be incorporated in a
variety of other types of protective equipment such as, for
example, knee pads, elbow pads, shoulder pads, etc.
Also, although the stiffener layer 24 has been shown
here as sandwiched between the two flexible layers 18,40,
the stiffener layer 24 can alternately be used
independently, i.e. without being connected to any flexible
layers, in some types of protective equipment. The stiffener
layer 24 can also be used in connection with only one of the
flexible layers 18,40.
Thus, the stiffener layer 24 of the protective element
12 provides protection against impact injury, while being
lightweight, especially when the stiffener layer 24 is
composed of multi-cell material. The stiffener layer 24 made
of thermoformable material allows the protective element 12
to be formed with a preset curve to conform to a particular
body configuration or a preferred pad shape, and to be re-
formed with a different preset curve when required simply by
shaping the protective element 12 under heat. As such, a
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manufacturer can easily form different types of protective
elements 12 from a same geometry, by varying the curve of
the protective element 12 for each type. A same protective
element 12 can also be re-formed when the needs of a wearer
change, or when the element 12 is used by a different
wearer.
The embodiments of the invention described above are
intended to be exemplary. Those skilled in the art will
therefore appreciate that the foregoing description is
illustrative only, and that various alternate configurations
and modifications can be devised without departing from the
spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, the present
invention is intended to embrace all such alternate
configurations, modifications and variances which fall
within the scope of the appended claims.
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